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Psychology Basics to Motivate EmployeesA guide for leaders on how to successfully motivate employees.
WHITE PAPER
2 WHITE PAPER: PSYCHOLOGY BASICS TO MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
Motivating employees is, in a word, complicated—especially in the modern world.
I can’t tell you how often in my work as a performance coach I deal with business owners who are frustrated by their inability to properly motivate their employees to perform and to adhere to their company’s culture. The generation gap is often labeled as the culprit, but in essence, it all comes down to communication—or lack thereof. Good communication leads to good results, but good communication isn’t that easy to execute.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
It All Starts with Proper Feedback 4
Understand An Employee’s Motivation 7
9 Unconventional Tips for Leaders 8
Good communication leads to good results, but good communication isn’t that easy to execute.
4 WHITE PAPER: PSYCHOLOGY BASICS TO MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
It All Starts with Proper Feedback As a business coach, I’ve found that feedback—that catch-all corporate
term—is the only way most leaders know how to motivate.
A recent Harvard Business Review article shares research suggesting that
simply telling people what we think of their performance and how they can do
it better doesn’t work (Source: HBR). For one, we’re not always reliable raters.
And believe it or not, criticism inhibits the brain’s ability to learn. Criticism
levied at the right time can be effective, but every time is not the right time.
To understand your employees and get them to do what you want, you need to know how they think.
5 WHITE PAPER: PSYCHOLOGY BASICS TO MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
So how does one effectively use feedback to motivate? Get back to
basics—psychology basics. To understand your employees and get
them to do what you want, you need to know how they think.
The following psychological principles of learning can offer guidance.
• Recognize and ReinforceInstead of telling employees what they are doing wrong, try telling them
what they are doing right. Identify the right behaviors, then look for
them. When you “catch” an employee doing a good job, praise them.
Positive reinforcement is an incredibly powerful tool and we all need it regardless of our age.
• Timing Is EssentialWhen you are teaching a behavior, you must use reinforcement to
shape the nuances of the behavior. This is where timing matters most.
Once your employees have achieved the desired behavior, you should
still reinforce it—you just have to be less predictable about it.
Put these employees on an intermittent reinforcement schedule to keep them wanting more. It’s like a slot machine in Vegas. If you lost your money every time you pulled the lever, you’d stop playing. But that one successful pull? That’s what keeps people coming back for more.
• Consequences Control BehaviorEmployees that are positively reinforced will likely engage in the same
behavior again. Reinforcement strengthens and maintains a behavior.
Reinforcement can also be used to eliminate poor or unwanted behaviors.
Again, think about a child who’s starved for attention and acting up.
Ignoring that child will eventually stop them from making a scene every time they want to be heard. Similarly, ignoring unwanted behaviors (when coupled with reinforcing positive ones) will eventually eliminate those unwanted behaviors in your employees.
6 WHITE PAPER: PSYCHOLOGY BASICS TO MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
• Identify What MattersOne of the biggest mistakes that leaders make is not taking the time to find
out what matters to their employees. Each individual’s definition of what
reinforces them may be different. “Compensation” might not mean the
same thing to you as it does to your employees. Some people desire self-
satisfaction (like positive reinforcement) and some prefer external motivators.
Find out how your employees prefer to be rewarded before you reward them. Try giving them choices—like more time off, a raise, a title change, etc.—and see what they say.
• Social Learning TheoryWe learn more by observing and modeling behavior than anything else.
We adopt model behavior if we value the person doing it. Employees
that respect you will want to do the things that you do, the way you do
them. This is why mentoring is such a powerful learning technique.
Show your employees how you work instead of telling them.
• Complex Behavior Is Simple Behaviors CombinedYou can’t explain all of your company’s procedures and culture in
an employee handbook that ends up collecting dust after day one
on the job. How you do things may be complex, but how you do
things is essentially a combination of smaller, simpler behaviors.
Break down the individual parts of the performance you want and teach them one at a time. Before long, all the parts will come together.
Instead of telling employees what they are doing wrong, try telling them what they are doing right. Identify the right behaviors, then look for them.
Understand An Employee’s Motivation
Motivating your employees is never easy, but it’s not because they’re lazy or
disinterested. It’s because you haven’t struck the right cord to stimulate their
personalities. Using the psychology basics above will help you get in tune with
your employees—and ultimately help you boost your company’s bottom line.
8 WHITE PAPER: PSYCHOLOGY BASICS TO MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
9 Unconventional Tips for Leaders
1. Don’t Assume Everyone Sees the Same Things You do
As a leader, you have a vision for your company. You have communicated
this vision to your leadership team and your employees — multiple
times. But your vision might not always translate to middle and lower
management, where it is ultimately executed. To ensure your vision is
both understood and executed, you must consistently communicate
with your employees — and be specific about it. Tell employees exactly
what you want, and you’ll have a better chance of getting it.
2. Invest in Management Training at Lowers Levels
Don’t just invest in high-level management, invest in high-level
performers. Even green employees can be crucial to your organization,
especially those who show the leadership skills that have them on the
fast track to upper management. Groom your best performers early.
3. Listen to the Influencers
The biggest influencers in your company might not be the ones with
the fanciest titles. They’re the people that others respect and listen
to. They’re the hard workers with an opinion, and they can play a
big part in how other employees see the company. Reach out to
these people and keep them on your side. Learn from them what
the issues are and have them help you resolve those issues.
9 WHITE PAPER: PSYCHOLOGY BASICS TO MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES
4. Be Generous — But Don’t Assume What Your Employees Want
A big holiday party or team building spa day might seem great to you. But your
employees would likely rather have time off or more flexible work schedules
as a reward. In fact, studies have shown that time off and flexibility are even
more important than money to employees. Talk to your employees before
you plan a rewards party. Find out what they really want and give it to them.
5. Catch an Employee Doing Something Good
Too often, good deeds go unnoticed. Make sure to look for small
employee victories — a positive encounter with a customer, etc. —
and reward them, even simply with kind and encouraging words.
Recognizing good behaviors will help those behaviors reoccur.
6. Encourage Employees to Suggest Change
No CEO is deeply involved with every part of the business. The
people who are — the employees — are most in tune to the issues
that plague the organization. Acknowledge their perspective and
listen to it. Encourage your employees to talk to you without fear. You
might just find the solution to the problems with your business.
7. Don’t Underestimate the Importance of a Title
Titles might just be words — especially if they don’t come with a
raise — but they are incredibly important to most people. Though
many are afraid to admit it, titles mean something. They mean
status. Recognition. Validation. Acknowledge people through titles.
Titles can make happier and more productive employees.
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8. Don’t Create Prince Charles
With all due respect to the Prince of Wales, responsibility without authority is
a recipe for disaster. Toothless leadership can be frustrating to those leaders
and the employees who work under them. Empower your management team
to make decisions on their own and take responsibility for those decisions.
9. Stoke the Human Side of Change
Successfully making a change in your organization takes more than directives
and a plan — it takes emotional intelligence at all levels of the organization.
Soft skills are anything but soft — they are necessary for an organization
to grow and change. Providing support and training that helps your team
develop emotional intelligence skills will solidify your culture, make any change
or transition run more smoothly and ultimately, boost your bottom line.
Looking to build your leadership skills or the skills of your team? Contact us today to learn about our customized coaching programs that incorporate behavioral and organizational development principles.
813.876.7191 I federerperformance.com
TRANSFORMING VISIONS INTO RESULTS
FEDERERPERFORMANCEMANAGEMENTGROUP, LLC
For more information:
federerperformance.com813.876.7191info@federerperformance.com
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